Shimanami Kaido 2027: Island-Hopping Bike Route
2026-10-25 ยท 9 min read
A 70 km, seven-bridge, six-island bike ride between Onomichi and Imabari. Separated bike lane most of the way and ferries that take bikes at the sea-level alternatives.
70 km, seven bridges, six islands, one of CNN's seven best bike routes in the world โ and a protected cycleway on every bridge except where a ferry takes over.
๐กLast content review: October 2026
Sources: official Shimanami Kaido cycling site (go-shimanami.jp), Giant Store Onomichi/Imabari, Hiroshima and Ehime prefectural tourism.
โกโฐ Peak-season rooms go first
Golden Week, Obon, New Year and the sakura and autumn-leaf peaks fill up fast. Once your dates are set, check availability now. Every week you wait, there are fewer rooms to choose from.
Quick facts: Shimanami Kaido 2027
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Route | Onomichi (Hiroshima) - Imabari (Ehime) |
| Distance | ~70 km end to end |
| Bridges | 7 (one is replaced by a short ferry crossing to start) |
| Rental | Giant Store or Shimanami Rental Cycle, 14+ terminals |
| Day rental (standard) | ~ยฅ2,000-4,000 (deposit ยฅ1,100) |
| Bridge tolls | Confirm current status โ waivers have come and gone |
โกToll status moves around
Bridge toll waivers for cyclists have been introduced and extended several times. One guide notes a waiver through March 31, 2026. For 2027, treat tolls as potentially ยฅ50-200 per bridge (small coins) until you confirm the current rule on go-shimanami.jp.
Find hotels in Onomichi and Imabari
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3 Hiroshima hotels for Peace Memorial + Miyajima day trip base
โฐ Hiroshima mid-splurge hotels peak during sakura + Peace ceremonies (Aug 6)
1. Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel
Directly connected to Hiroshima Station โ Shinkansen + Miyajima ferry access. Modern 5-star, Marriott Bonvoy.
Book on Booking โ2. Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima
Overlooks Hiroshima Castle. 15-min walk to Peace Memorial Park. Classic 5-star, long-standing reputation.
Book on Agoda โ3. Hotel Granvia Hiroshima
Attached to Hiroshima Station. Straight-shot to Miyajima JR line. Mid-budget business hotel reliability.
Book on Trip.com โPrices shown on each site. We earn a small commission if you book โ at no cost to you.
Why Shimanami Kaido
The Shimanami Kaido is the only one of Japan's three Honshu-Shikoku bridge systems that was built with cyclists in mind โ every bridge has a dedicated cycling and walking lane, usually on a separate deck, and a blue line painted on the road guides you the whole way. Even casual riders can do it in a long day; most people split it over two with an overnight on Omishima or Ikuchijima. Expect gentle climbs onto each bridge, mountain views, lemon groves, and old shipyard towns in between.
- โMukaishima - Innoshima bridge โ the only bridge the blue line sends you around
- โIkuchijima โ Kosanji Temple's marble 'Hill of Hope', Hirayama Ikuo art museum
- โOmishima โ Oyamazumi Shrine and samurai armour museum
- โHakatajima โ the smallest, with a dolphin interaction centre
- โOshima โ strongest tidal currents (sightseeing boats run)
- โImabari castle โ one of Japan's three major 'sea castles'
Getting there
- โTo Onomichi: Shinkansen Shin-Onomichi, then local bus/train to Onomichi station (10 min)
- โTo Imabari: JR via Okayama + Shiokaze limited express (~3h 10m from Osaka)
- โRental: Giant Store at Onomichi and Imabari, Shimanami Rental Cycle at 10+ sites
- โOne-way return: ยฅ1,100-3,300 extra depending on operator
- โLuggage forwarding: Sagawa and Yamato both offer bag transport between hotels
Book Shimanami Kaido guided rides
- โ Skip-the-line e-tickets
- โ Mobile voucher, no printing
- โ Free cancellation up to 24h
โฐ Mobile voucher instantly โ skip the ticket line on arrival
What to do (2-day plan)
| Day | Section | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 AM | Onomichi - Innoshima | Short ferry at Mukaishima |
| Day 1 noon | Ikuchijima | Lunch at Dolce (lemon gelato) |
| Day 1 PM | Ikuchijima - Omishima | Overnight at a Setoda or Omishima minshuku |
| Day 2 AM | Omishima - Hakata | Oyamazumi Shrine stop |
| Day 2 noon | Hakata - Oshima | Yakibuta rice bowl at Hakata |
| Day 2 PM | Oshima - Imabari | Finish, towel off, overnight castle visit |
๐ฐCompare live hotel prices โ Onomichi Imabari cycling hotel
Price checkSame dates, same destination โ platforms often differ by 10-25%. Opening all three in new tabs is the fastest way to spot the deal.
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Bookable experiences
- โGiant Store rental + luggage forwarding bundle
- โGuided 2-day English-speaking ride (small group)
- โE-bike rental for less-fit riders
- โImabari castle + towel museum half-day combo
Reserve a bike + tour
- โ Skip-the-line e-tickets
- โ Mobile voucher, no printing
- โ Free cancellation up to 24h
โฐ Mobile voucher instantly โ skip the ticket line on arrival
Japan eSIM โ set it up before you fly
- โ Works instantly on arrival
- โ No SIM card swap
- โ Buy before you fly
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Japan travel insurance โ get covered before you fly
- โ Covers Japan medical + evacuation
- โ From $45/month flexible
- โ Cancel anytime
โฐ Japan doesn't accept most foreign health cards โ one ER visit = your whole trip budget
Autumn weekend bikes gone
- October-November weekends sell out Giant Onomichi bikes by Thursday
- One-way rentals need pre-booking in high season
- Luggage forwarding needs 1 business day lead time
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FAQ
- โCan I ride it in a single day? Yes if you are fit โ 6-8 hrs riding plus stops. Most split over two days.
- โOnomichi or Imabari start? Onomichi has shorter climbs early; Imabari gets the hardest climb (Kurushima bridge) in the first few km. Either works.
- โCan I rent an e-bike? Yes โ Giant and Shimanami Rental both have them from ~ยฅ2,000-5,000/day.
- โDo I need my own helmet? No โ included with rentals. Bring gloves and padded shorts if you have them.
- โOne-way or round trip? One-way with luggage forwarding + Shinkansen home is the standard; a one-way rental fee of ~ยฅ1,100-3,300 applies.
- โAny road bike [experience](https://www.klook.com/en-US/search/?query=Japan&tp_sub=japan) needed? No โ the blue line and bike lanes make navigation foolproof.
- โFamily with kids? Doable with trailer or kids' bikes for the Setoda to Omishima section; the full route is hard for under-10s.
- โWeather? Avoid typhoon days (September) and avoid heavy summer heat (late July-August).
- โConvenience stores? Every island has at least one โ no need to carry much food.
- โTolls? Historically ~ยฅ50-200 total; waivers come and go โ carry coins just in case.
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